Vehicle Door Sill Display with Dynamic Orientation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle door displays are often overlooked and lack an enhanced viewing experience, especially when positioned as conventional door sill plates, and they do not effectively adapt to different user orientations or environmental lighting conditions.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle display assembly integrated into the door sill or door frame, featuring a transparent display element, a light-producing assembly with brightness enhancement films, and a controller that adjusts image orientation and brightness based on user position and ambient light, allowing for enhanced visibility and interactive functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the display assembly is integrated into the door sill with a low profile, then it is easily accommodated in the vehicle door sill, but the viewing experience is compromised due to limited space and potential obstruction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration into door sillVSAvoidviewing experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a conventional 2D display surface to a 3D freeform surface that protrudes from the door sill. This dimensional change allows the display to achieve better viewing angles and illumination without requiring a larger footprint in the door sill, thus resolving the contradiction between low-profile integration and viewing quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The display assembly incorporates adjustable components including movable backlight units and rotatable image sources that can dynamically adapt to different viewing conditions. This dynamic capability allows the display to optimize its viewing experience based on user position and environmental lighting while maintaining a compact integrated form

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Shape

If the display element is positioned at a low profile in the door sill, then it maintains a sleek appearance and easy integration, but it is easily overlooked and lacks enhanced visibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow profile appearanceVSAvoidvisibility and attention
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a freeform curved surface instead of a flat display surface. This curvature creates visual interest and reflects light dynamically, making the display more noticeable and engaging while maintaining a sleek, modern aesthetic that complements the vehicle's design language

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The display incorporates multi-color LED backlighting and image capabilities that can change colors and intensities. This allows the display to attract attention through vibrant visual content while maintaining a subdued appearance when not in active use, resolving the contradiction between low-profile aesthetics and visibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Device complexity

If the display assembly uses conventional positioning, then it is simple to install, but it does not adapt to different user orientations or environmental lighting conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidadaptation to user position and lighting
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display assembly incorporates movable components including adjustable backlight units and rotatable image sources that can dynamically reposition themselves based on detected user position and ambient lighting conditions. This dynamic adaptability allows the display to optimize viewing experience without requiring complex manual installation configurations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs sensors to detect user position and environmental lighting conditions, providing feedback that triggers automatic adjustments of the display parameters. This feedback mechanism enables the display to adapt to different usage scenarios automatically, maintaining simplicity of installation while achieving high adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Illumination intensity

If the display element is made transparent to enhance visibility, then it improves viewing experience, but it requires additional light-producing assemblies and brightness enhancement films increasing complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility through transparencyVSAvoidlight-producing assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the light-producing assembly within the display element structure itself, with LEDs positioned behind and within the transparent display material. This nested arrangement eliminates the need for separate external lighting assemblies and reduces overall structural complexity while achieving the desired transparency and illumination effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Provides an improved viewing experience for vehicle occupants by ensuring images are optimally oriented and lit, regardless of the user's position or ambient conditions, while maintaining a low profile and easy integration into the vehicle door sill.

Implementation Method 1

a light-producing assembly positioned behind the transparent element and in optical communication thereto, the light-producing assembly having an optical element and a light source disposed proximate an edge of the optical element and configured to emit light therethrough

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emission: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

a film stack in optical communication with the display element and configured to enhance the brightness of the display element in one or more dimensions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical enhancement: Refraction

Implementation Method 3

a transparent element defining a viewing surface; a display element disposed behind the transparent element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3631574B1Vehicle display assembly
Publication Date: 2021.11.24 GENTEX CORP
  • EP3631574B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3631574B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3631574B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle display assembly may comprise a transparent element defining a viewing surface, a display element disposed behind the transparent element, and a printed circuit board in electrical communication with the display element. The display element is configured to generate an image visible through the transparent element. The vehicle display assembly may be in communication with at least one of a vehicle sensor and a vehicle computer. The images appearing in the display element may change orientation based on the presence or absence of a vehicle occupant.